Take care when cleaning lens from fungus

[Orio]

I have learned from experience that mixing chemicals to clean from fungus can be a dangerous operation.
In particular, to mix bleaches and ammonia is very dangerous. I recommend not to do this, because it can cause death to you and the persons near you, and to use different chemicals, but if you really want to use that, do it at your own risk, and remember to take all the necessary precautions, like:

- do the cleaning in the open air

- in cool air temperature

- mix only the strictly needed amount to clean a lens and not more

- wear a humid cloth in front of your mouth, sealing eyeglasses, and thick glovers

- make sure that no children and no animals can have access to the place you are doing the cleaning operation.

Remember that mixing bleaches and ammonia produces a deadly gas, and that mixing large quantities can cause an explosion, especially when air temperature is high.
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Lens sana in corpore sano
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[hk300]

would the easier to get household mold cleaner also work?
It is Chloride based.

[dnas]

I use distilled white vinegar. Not dangerous, works very nicely. Clean afterward with distilled water, and lens tissue.

[indianadinos]

I was using a mix of ammonia and hydrogen peroxyde, which worked well for killing the fungus, but smelled bad and required "open window" operations ...

Now, i use Avene Cold Cream and Zippo fluid, which require a bit more time (about an hour) for cleaning, but works like a charm (and doesn't stink ) ...
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Please visit my blog Shooting with a Pentax K10D

Takumar Lenses: 24/3.5, 28/3.5, 35/2, 35/3.5, 50/1.4, 55/1.8, 85/1.8, 105/2.8, 135/3.5, 200/4
Pentax-K Lenses: M28/2.8, M50/1.4, A50/1.7, K85/1.8, K105/2.8, K135/2.5, M200/4, M70-150/4
Zeiss Lenses: Flektogon 20/2.8, 20/4, 35/2.4, 35/2.8, Tessar 50/2.8, Pancolar 50/1.8, Biotar 58/2, Sonnar 135/3.5, Sonnar 180/2.8
Meyer Lenses: Primagon 35/4.5, Domiplan 50/2.8, Primoplan 58/1.9, Trioplan 100/2.8, Orestor 100/2.8, Orestor 135/2.8
Schacht/Steinheil Lenses: Travenar 90/2.8, Quinar 135/2.8, Quinar 135/3.5
Russian Lenses: MIR 37B, Jupiter 37A
P6 Lenses: Flektogon 50/4, Biometar 80/2.8, Orestor 300/4
Nikkor Lenses: Nikkor-O 35/2, Micro 55/3.5, Nikkor-Q 135/2.8
Misc Lenses: Kiron 105/2.8 Macro, Tamron SP90/2.5
... and a few other Vivitar, Tamron, Sigma and Soligor lenses ...

[Attila]

[estudleon]

Why not white vinegar?

Does not good the job?
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Konica 2,8/100
CZJ: 4/20, 2,4/35, 1,8/50 aus jena, 3,5/135MC, Pentacon 1,8/50
Pentax S-M-C-1,4/50
Helios 44-3
Mamiya 2,8/135
Misc. : jupiter 9

Stuff used:
A) SRL
Alpa 10 D - kern macro Switar 1,9/50 -black, Kilffit apochromat 2/100.
Asahi pentax spotmatic super takumar 1,4/50
Contaflex super B tessar 2,8/50 Pro-tessar 115
Leica R3 electronic summicron 2/50 elmarit 2,8/35
Konica Autoreflex 3 (2 black and chrome one), TC, T4. 2,8/24, 3,5/28 not MC and MC, 1,8/40, 1,4/50, 1,7/50 MC and not MC, 1,8/85, 3,2/135, 3,5/135, 4/200
Minolta XG9 2,8/35, 2/45, 3,5/135
Nikkormat FTn 1,4/50, 2,8/135
Fujica ST 801, 605, 705n. 3,5/19, 1,4/50, 1,8/55, 4/85, 3,5/135.
Praktica MTL 5 and a lot of M42 lenses.
Voigtlander. Bessamatic m, bessamatix de luxe, bessamatic cs, ultramatic and ultramatic cs.
Skoparex 3,5/35, skopagon 2/40, skopar 2,8/50, skopar X 2,8/50, super lanthar (out of catalogue) 2,8/50, dinarex 3,4/90, dinarex 4,8/100, super dinarex 4/135, super dinarex 4/200, zoomar 2,8/36-83, portrait lens 0, 1 and 2. Curtagon 4/28 and 2,8/35
Canon AV1, 1,8/50
Rolleiflex SL35 and SL35 E. 2,8/35 angulon, 2,8/35 distagon, 1,4/55 rolleinar, 1,8/50 planar, 4/135 tessar, 2,8/135 rolleinar, x2 rollei, M42 to rollei adap.
Etc.

RF
Yashica Minister III
Voightlander Vito, vitomatic I, Vito C, etc.
Leica M. M2, M3 (d.s.) and M4. Schenider 3,4/21, 2/35 summaron 2,8/35 (with eyes). Summicron 2/35 (8 elements with eyes), 2/35 chrome, 2/35 black, 1,4/35 pre asph and aspheric - old -, 2/40 summicron, 2,8/50 elmar, 2/50 7 elements, 2/50 DR, 2/50 - minolta version, 1,4/50 summilux 1966 version, 1,4/75 summilux, 2/90 large version, 2/90 reduced version of 1987, 2,8/90 elmarit large version, 4/135 elmar.

[Attila]

[estudleon]

[siriusdogstar]

Sorry to say first dust spec is home to new fungus. After thorough cleaning only remedy is to prevent new growth with low-humidity storage.

Mold and fungus may be most abundant life form on Earth. Hope buddies never hear about these "murders"
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like attracts like!

[Attila]

[dnas]

[larsr]

Also, the dangers with using powerful chemicals and solvents is not only the "resurrection" of the fungus, but danger of wearing out possible coating in the glass. I'm not sure the coatings would respond any better to vinegar since, which, as far as I know, is alkaline in quality?
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Lars


My photos on Flickr


Bodies:
DSLR: Nikon D80
SLR: Nikkormat FT2, Voigtländer VSL1 TM, Pentax Spotmatic SPII
35mm: Voigtländer Vitoret

Nikkor MF
24/2.8K AI'd, 28/2.8 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 50/2-HC, 55/2.8 Micro, 35-70/3.5 AIS, 85/1.8K AI'd, 100/2.8 Series E, 105/2.5 AI, 105/2.5 AIS, 135/3.5 AI, 200/4-Q AI'd, 300/4.5-H AI'd

M42
Misc: Chinon 28/2.8, Revue Auto Revuenon 50/1.8, Auto Flex 55/1.7, Cosina Cosinon 135/2.8 MC, Petri 200/3.5 CC Auto
Zeiss: CZJ Pancolar Electric 50/1.8 MC, CZJ Biotar 58/2 T, CZJ Sonnar MC S 135/3.5
Asahi-Pentax: SMC-Takumar 55/1.8, Super-Takumar 105/2.8, SMC-Takumar 135/3.5
USSR: Mir-1 37/2.8 (1958 GP), Helios 44-2 58/2
Pentacon/Meyer: Pentacon 29/2.8 MC, Meyer Görlitz Oreston 50/1.8, Meyer Görlitz Orestor 135/2.8, Pentacon 200/4

Nikkor AF
50/1.8 D, 60/2.8 Micro, 55-200/4-5.6 G VR, 70-300/4-5.6 ED, 18-70/3.5-4.5 G

[dnas]

[Attila]

[dnas]

Or what I was thinking about, was getting a lens with reasonably uniform fungus, and clean one half of the lens element with vinegar and leave the other half with fungus!!! Take photos. Then leave it in the bathroom lens caps on.

Then do the same with another lens, same, but with lens caps off.

Repeat same for a dry, bright location!!!!

Leave for a few months.

This way we KNOW the lenses have fungus, but we can see if it returns to the vinegar cleaned surfaces or not. And also if the moisture and light make any difference.